Eating in Galle

Galle abounds in family-family restaurants and cafes and there were even several halal restaurants. The only problem that we had was to choose where to eat. It goes without saying that most of the restaurants within the Fort were primarily catered for tourists but unlike many of the tourist-targeted restaurants in other other towns/cities, the food offered here were really good - partly contributed by the fresh ingredients used.

1) Pedlar's Inn (No. 92, Pedlar Street)

We had our first dinner here. Ravenous after the train ride from Colombo, we were there quite early and managed to grab a quite corner on the patio. The place could get quite busy so its best to time properly.

The best pizza in the whole wide world,
according to Irf

Ordered grilled tuna and chicken curry between A and I, for what is a trip to Sri Lanka without trying the curries. Irf had the Pizza Margherita which he managed to clean off the plates all by himself. Dinner for the 3 of us cost Rs4,300 (approx. RM130) which I'm sure was expensive by overall Sri Lankan standards, but then again everything cost more within the Fort's walls. Our subsequent meals cost less than this (probably because we became more cost-conscious) but it's safe to say that a decent meal in the Fort for 3 people in a comfortable surrounding would be around the RM100 mark.

2) Crepe-ology (No. 53, Leyn Baan Street)

As the name implies, this place specializes in a variety of sweet and savoury crepes. It also offers wraps, salads and finger food and it's the perfect place to have lunch. You would have to go up a flight of narrow steps from a shop on the ground floor. We sat at a table on the cozy rooftop terrace but there's also an air-conditioned room (complete with a play area for toddlers)  if you've had too much of the heat.We did not need the air-con as the refreshing chillers on offer were more than enough to cool us down. The best feature of the cafe as far as Irf was concerned was its Mac n' cheese.

Hummus for lunch - not exactly
Sri Lankan, I know

3) Heritage Cafe (No 61, Pedlar Street)

Located at the corner between Pedlar Street and Lighthouse Street, the 400-year old building used to be a bakery. We ended up here on our 2nd day after  20 minutes of walking around looking for the best place to have dinner until we got to the point of I-don't-care-but-I-need-to-eat-now. Don't let the candle lights and the dim lighting deceive you. The place welcomed families and there's a wide variety of food to choose from the menu, from authentic curries to nasi goreng. Dining in the courtyard garden was a good way to unwind after a long and hectic day.

Fried squid with butter rice - the exotic sounding
vegetable turned out to be petola

4) Poonie's Kitchen (No 63, Pedlar Street)

I was adamant to try this place after reading the reviews on the net and anyway I was craving for something light and healthy for a change. This is not the place to go for rotis and curries, but more for vibrant-coloured salads, fresh juices and not forgetting the quirky decor. This courtyard cafe is accessible through a set of double doors in MimiMango boutique. With a koi pond, vases of heliconias, mismatched rustic furniture and turquoise colour theme,  it's one of the prettiest cafes I've seen. Food-wise, the selection for us was quite limited. The salad looked too healthy for A and they ran out of prawns when we were there. But the drinks were fantastic, especially the pineapple, guava, gotukola & mint juice which was served in a huge glass jar with a lemongrass straw.

Pink heliconias as table centrepiece

Tomato, feta and basil on wholegrain toast

On top of the food from the above cafes and restaurants, there were also the obligatory lashings of ice-cream and for that we had Dairy King Homemade Ice-Cream and Pedlars' Inn Gelateria to thank for.

Ice-cream pit stop at Pedlars' Inn Gelateria

The fairy tale-like shop that is the Dairy King

Suffice to say we stuffed ourselves silly in Galle, but gutted that I did not get to try Sri Lankan crabs.

Things to do in Galle with kids

We were in Galle for only 2 nights. Some would say that 2 nights are more than enough but travelling with a kid meant we had to space our activities and hence we had limited time to cover the things that we wanted to see. Here are the things that we managed to see/do:

1) Galle Fort

Built by the Portuguese and fortified by the Dutch, Galle Fort is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It goes without saying that this is the main attraction of Galle. Walking the atmospheric streets of the Fort is part of the attraction so staying within the Fort is highly recommended. We stayed in Mango House which was as central as you could get.

Seafood restaurant near Pedlar Street

Walking around the Fort and along the ramparts is one of those things that you have to do in Galle. More of that here.


2) Turtle sanctuary

There's quite a number of turtle sanctuaries in the areas surrounding Galle. Finding one that has a genuine objective to conserve turtles is the hard part. I have done some research prior to the trip but I couldn't find any info on the best place to visit. We ended up going to the Sea Turtle Conservation Project and Hatchery in Koggala, and that was purely based on our tuk-tuk driver's decision, which I knew was not a guarantee on the authenticity of the place.

We did this trip after resting from our walk at the ramparts. The hotel arranged for the tuk-tuk and we were charged Rs1,500 for 2 hours. I thought it was quite steep but Irf had set his mind to see turtles and I did not want to let him down.

Our tuk-tuk arranged by the hotel for Rs1,500 for 2 hours 

The turtle sanctuary charged Rs 500 for entrance (free for kids). A guide took us around, explaining the different breeds of turtles (5 out of 8 turtle breeds come to Sri Lankan beaches) and also on what they do for turtle conservation. There were posters on the features of the different breeds and a few turtles could be seen swimming in small concrete pools. Baby turtles were kept in basins, waiting for the right time to be let out to the sea. Our guide even took out a baby turtle and put it on Irf's hand (much to his delight) - on hindsight I'm not sure whether that was the right thing to do but he probably does that to all visitors. Small pools and petting zoo-experience notwithstanding, I'll reserve my judgment on whether this passed as conservation or cruelty to animals.

Irf learning about different turtle breeds

His highlight of the day

The turtle conservation project in Koggala

3) Beach everything

Galle's location ensures that there's never a shortage of beach-related activities that you can do. Swimming in the sea, sunbathing, beach-combing - the list goes on. We did not get the chance to spend a day relaxing by the beach, something that I regretted. We did ask the tuk-tuk driver to stop at a couple of beaches on the way back to the Fort from the turtle sanctuary.

In some areas, the sea seemed bent to unleash its full wrath with crashing waves and all, while other areas were protected by reefs. Apparently Unawatuna and Jungle Beach were the safest for kids to swim in, but again there was no time for us to check out these places.

Robinson Crusoe's crib

No superpower involved - only reefs

4) Watching the sunset

Our tuk-tuk driver dropped us in Galle Fort somewhere near Flag Rock. It was 5.30pm on a Saturday evening and the locals and tourists were out in droves taking strolls and waiting for the sunset. We sat on a (wide) ledge of a stonewall. Watching a Sri Lankan sunset could well be one of your epic travel tales but you would need luck on your side which - alas - ditched us that evening.

Waiting...

...and waiting. In the end, the best shot that Irf got was of
some clouds

5) Bat-watching

Ok, this would not pass as an attraction per se but Irf was so taken by it that I thought I would just include it here. And it's free entertainment for kids! On our first evening in Galle, just an hour after we arrived, we walked towards the sea near where the hospital was. There was a huge tree and it was not long before we discovered that the tree was a roost for hundreds of bats. In the fading light, we saw bats swooping high and low, some so low that I thought Batman himself was coming for us. That corner of Galle would forever be etched in Irf's mind as Bat Territory.

So that's Galle in a nutshell for us. Go now before it's discovered by more people!

Around the Fort in 80 minutes

This was our day of exploring Galle and the first thing on our list was to walk along the ramparts of Galle Fort. After a hearty breakfast at Mango House, armed with water bottles, hats and my LP, we made our way towards the ramparts. We did not have a specific route to take and just decided on the spur of the moment to walk from Leyn Baan Cross Street (where the hotel was) to Queens Street based on the map given by the hotel. Here are the things that we saw along the way:

1) National Maritime Museum

Housed in an old Dutch East India Company VOC warehouse, this museum exhibits artifacts relating to the seafaring and maritime trade in Sri Lanka.  It is open daily from 9am to 5pm. I thought that it would be a good educational visit for Irf but we had the ramparts to explore while the sun was not too hot.

The mustard-coloured walls of the old Dutch warehouse

2) Dutch Reformed Church

A few steps away from the museum stood the Dutch Reformed Church also known as the Groote Kerk. The pulpit was made from calamander wood from Malaysia and its floor paved with gravestones from the old Dutch cemetry. We walked past the church where, it being Sunday, a service was taking place.

One of the many beautifully preserved colonial buildings in Galle

Opposite the church, on a patch of grass shaded by a huge banyan tree, a snake charmer was luring tourists with his cobra and flute. I saw my first snake charmer in Marrakech years ago and until today the whole image of a cobra dancing out of a woven basket to the tune of a flute has always intrigued me. We came near to take pictures with Irf squatting too close to the snake for comfort. Gave the man Rs50 but he asked for Rs200 - utter rip-off for what it was. We walked away.

An intro to Sri Lankan wildlife

Not too far away, a HUGE iguana was making its way slowly across the grass. A cow was grazing under a tree amongst parked motorcycles. We were barely into 10 minutes of our walk and already it felt like a walk in a wildlife park.

3) Moon Bastion

The Moon Bastion with the Clock Tower

We started our walk at the Moon Bastion, near the Fort's main gate.

The Fort's location on a rocky peninsula extending into the sea makes it the best place to get uninterrupted views of the ocean. The water so clear that we could see rocks, coral and fish even from the ramparts. The Indian Ocean, vast, laid before us with many shades of blues and greens. Swaying palms, crashing waves, sea sprays, lone fishermen - these were the epitomes of Sri Lanka. As I looked over the open sea to the horizon, it was hard to imagine that there was nothing between us and Antartica except miles and miles of sea with its mysteries and secrets.

Views from the ramparts

Sri Lankan fishermen at work 

4) Flag Rock

Flag Rock - the southernmost end of the Fort

Next, we passed the Flag Rock where the Dutch used to signal approaching ships to alert them to dangers. Now, the only dangers lie in the actions of young locals who make a living by jumping off the ramparts and diving into the sea. We managed to catch the action of a couple of guys jumping off a rocky outcrop, and that was hair-raising enough.

5) Meeran Jumma Mosque

Galle has a sizeable Muslim community, which explains the ease of getting halal food. This mosque is located just a short walk away from Flag Rock and it is one with perhaps the best panaromic views I have seen. From the outside, it looked more like a church and I would not have know that it was a mosque had I not read about it before.

One of my favourite photo frames in Galle - with the
mosque and the lighthouse in the background

6) Galle Lighthouse @ Pointe de Galle Light

This lighthouse was located at the Point Utrecht Bastion. I have this thing with lighthouses so to see a working lighthouse (despite the fact that I could not get to the top) with its lights visible was a big thing. This lighthouse was built fairly recently in 1938 after the original structure was destroyed in a fire. Having said that, this light station is still the oldest in Sri Lanka. We walked around the lighthouse, wishing we could meet the lighthouse keeper.

To the lighthouse

Lighthouse or no lighthouse, by this time we had walked for more than 1 hour. There was little shade for most of the walk and with the scorching sun I swear I could hear my skin sizzled. Irf's hair was wet with sweat and was plastered to his head, thanks to his cap, and he was definitely already out of exploring mode. Looking at the map, we have not made a complete circle, but close enough. It was time to retreat to that wonderful thing called shade. And ice-cream. And iced coffee.

Colombo to Galle by train

Since we had to rely on public transport to get us from Colombo to Galle, I was weighing the options between taxi, bus or train. Taxi was too expensive so that was out of the question. Taking a bus would involve travelling to a location outside the centre of Colombo where the bus journey starts and it cost around Rs350 per person. So the remaining option is the train. Not such a bad one considering that many have regaled the delight of the train from Colombo to Galle and it is by far the cheapest option. The only downside was that the seats could not be reserved – scrambling for seats is a pre-requisite.

It was in this frame of mind that my anxiety increased as the tuk-tuk whizzed its way from the hotel to Maradhana Railway Station. Our train was at 2pm and I was planning to be there by 1pm but it was already 1.15pm. To make things worse, the driver dropped us by a very busy road with no sight of anything resembling a train station. We were just told "Railway is down there...after police station”. We walked for 3 minutes through the throngs of people going about their daily lives, praying that we were at the right place. Past the police station and around a corner and thankfully there was this white, colonial building with a big "Maradhana Railway" signboard. Phew.

The interiors of the building looked more ancient than the exterior. There were 3 counters with Counter 1 selling 2nd Class tickets. The tickets cost Rs450 for the 3 of us (Rs180 for adults and half price for kids), approximately RM15, which was a total bargain. The station was dimly lit with an air of a bygone era. A rusty device at the counter was used to stamp tickets and the information board was made of wood with arrival and departure time being manually changed.

Inside the vintage Maradana Railway Station

We headed towards Platform 6 on which crowds of people had already congregated. It was a long platform and there was no indication of where to stand for which class of train. We asked a man near the start of the platform and were told to go further for the 2nd class carriages. We walked further but apparently that was not enough as unknowingly we still ended up in a 3rd class carriage.

But before getting into said carriage, there is a story to be told. Now, a good strategy is a pre-requisite in many things in life. This is doubly true when you are about to board a train with a quarter of the Colomban population and especially with little ones towing along. I told A to board the train first and to make sure to book seats on the right side for the ocean views. I, on the other hand, would hold Irf’s hand and try to get onto the train in a more civilised manner. Then the train came and all manners and civility, including mine, were thrown on the tracks. Let’s just say that I put the skills honed through years of taking the Tube and LRT to good use. I bet Irf did not know what hit him. We managed to get 3 seats facing each other but Irf ended up sitting on either A’s or my lap as we gave up his seat to an elderly man, whose daughter was sitting next to A. They became our first examples of how friendly Sri Lankans are, even to the extent of inviting us to their house for dinner.

It was full house on the train. By the time we got to Fort Station, you would be considered lucky if you managed to squeeze in and grab a spot to stand. The single best piece of advice I would give to anyone contemplating this train journey is to take the train from Maradhana where the train ride originates. Take it from Colombo Fort station and you probably have to stand for most of the 3-hour journey.

The whole train ride was a feast for the senses. Barely 5 minutes after leaving Fort station, the train whooshed along the coast, the Indian Ocean within spitting distance. The train could probably be described as decrepit, but it was clean. There was no air-conditioning system, its only cooling device being vintage ceiling fans that you can only find in kampung houses in Malaysian hinterlands. But that did not matter – we had the sea breeze and the salty air wafting in through the open windows.

We passed villages with ramshackled huts just next to the tracks and I wondered how it was like living on a thin strip of land between crashing waves and thundering trains. In the train and especially when the train stopped at stations, vendors went up and down the crowded aisle selling all kinds of snacks carried in worn-looking baskets. We threw caution to the wind and bought Rs20 worth of vadais, wrapped in someone’s marked school homework.

For most part of the journey, the train thundered 
along the coast

Cheapest way to get from Colombo to Galle

One of the 3rd class carriages

Time passed quickly when there was a lot to see. And thankfully, Irf did not complain of being squashed and being in the crowded train. He was busy munching on tidbits that we bought at the train station and the apple given to him by his new friends.

Just before 5pm, we reached Galle and boy was I relieved to let down anchor for 2 nights. We had been in Sri Lanka for less than 24 hours but the train ride and the conversations that we had with the people we met on the train allowed us to glean into everyday lives of ordinary Sri Lankans much more than an air-conditioned car ride would do - and for less than RM15 too!

Colombo in 4 hours

On the day after we arrived in Sri Lanka (after midnight), we only had half a day before we had to catch the train to Galle. I did not have a specific must-go list for Colombo but I thought of at least checking out Barefoot Ceylon.

Green Cabin 

But first thing first...breakfast! Moss B&B offered breakfast for USD4 but I thought it would be a travesty to have toast for breakfast in Sri Lanka. Fortunately, the hotel was within walking distance of Green Cabin, a venerable institution as per many travel guides. So we got a map from the receptionist and made our way towards Galle Road and towards Green Cabin. At 9 am, it was a pleasant walk, which was made better by proper pedestrian crossings.

After 10 minutes of walking, we reached the green and white shop that was Green Cabin but our hope of having hot breakfast of paratha, hoppers and the like was dashed - the restaurant was closed and only the bakery was open. We had  to settle with ready-made veg roti and fish roti. The fish roti, although very delicious, was too spicy for Irf so we ordered mini veg pizza for him. And the only coffee that we could get our hands on was of the cold variety, prepacked and tasted very much like the dreadful canned Nescafe in Malaysia. I nearly cried.

Had to resort to this for breakfast

Barefoot Ceylon

Next stop was Barefoot Ceylon which conveniently was just a few shops down the road. Well-known for its handloom textiles and locally crafted products, this is a souvenir shop, bookshop, cafe, gallery - all rolled into one.  Stepping into the store, we were greeted with a riot of bold colours and brilliant hues. If you are looking for high quality souvenirs made locally, then this is the place to go. No Made In China products, no tourist tats. We spent more than an hour there, especially at the bookshop where they have a nice selection of books revolving around Sri Lanka.

The entrance to Barefoot Ceylon on Galle Road

The only picture inside the shop that we managed to take
before we saw the No Camera sign

Early lunch at Barefoot Garden Cafe

The charming courtyard cafe, with dappled sunlight and a fish pond, was the perfect place to unwind especially when you badly need a proper shot of caffeine, as we did. We had an early lunch here of tuna sandwich, fries, coffee (naturally) and banana smoothie  (the first of many in Sri Lanka for Irf).

Then, it was back to the hotel to pack and check out. Left our backpacks at Moss and had an hour or so to see central Colombo. 

Galle Buck Lighthouse

I absolutely did not have anywhere specific to go (saving Galle Face Green for when we are back from Galle/Tissa), so we hopped into a passing tuk-tuk and based on a random glance through my LP, told the driver to take us to the Lighthouse at Colombo Fort area. The tuk-tuk weaved its way through the streets of Colombo until it stopped in front of a building called the Lake House. Righttt.

I did not have the energy nor the time to begrudge the few extra rupees that we had to pay and thankfully the lighthouse that I meant, location finally determined after a more detailed description of what a lighthouse is, was not too far off.

Galle Buck Lighthouse

The Galle Buck Lighthouse is actually quite a recent addition to the city as it was built only in the 1950s. Its main advantage is the elevated bases from which you could get great views of the Indian Ocean, Galle Face Green and the surrounding area. But the views were somewhat marred by constructions at the adjacent port and in its vicinity. And there was not much shade to escape from the scorching heat so avoid noon!

Dutch Hospital

Took another tuk-tuk to nearby Dutch Hospital for Rs100,000. This building is the oldest in the Fort and was built by the Dutch in the 1600s as a hospital. It has been refurbished and is now a swanky building with rather posh restaurants and shops. Despite the refurbishment, the colonial architecture was still intact with courtyards and thick columns. 

Down the corridors of Dutch Hospital

The time was approaching 1pm and after a quick browse through in Odel, we got into a tuk-tuk to head back to the hotel to collect our backpacks. I would have not known whether we were being conned by the driver. The streets that we passed through looked nothing like the ones we saw on the way in and traffic was heavier- we could have been brought around Colombo and we would be none the wiser. The consolation was that the fare was also at the Rs300,000 mark.

So that was our whirlwind tour of Colombo. We will be back but now time for the train to Galle! *takes a deep breath*